University of Texas Austin - Cactus Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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RUNNERS TOP HOGS FOR NCAA BERTH It was a roller-coaster year for the Men ' s Cross Country Team a year of dazzling highs and disappointing lows. The team finished second overall in NCAA District VI competition and, for the 10th consecutive year, qualified for the NCAA Championship. But in the championship hampered by the loss of two key runners the team finished 14th out of a field of 22 teams. Still, coaches and runners alike said the team ' s youth and its performance in the district meet held promise for a bright- er future. The 1988 team boasted All- Americans Harry Green and Jeff Can- nada, both catalysts in qualifying the Longhorns to the 1988 NCAA Cham- pionship. But the team lost both run- ners with their graduation. The All-Americans ' departure raised concerns over the youth and talent of the 1989 team. But head coach Stan Huntsman and his coaching staff knew the team was laced with a talented group of young runners and dismissed any doubts. We felt going in as one of the top teams in the nation we wanted to give Arkansas a run for their money, assistant coach Mike Hughes said. In the NCAA District VI qualifying meet, the team did just that. Not only did they finish first overall, the team, for the first time in 1 2 years, edged out the Arkansas Razorbacks to earn a berth in the NCAA Championship. For the team to have performed as well as they did is consistent with what we wanted, Hughes said. Sophomore Steve Sisson, one of the team ' s leaders, was positive about the meet. We ran better as a team, Sisson said. The Longhorns went into the NCAA Championship seeded 7th and hoping to finish in the top 10, but their hopes I were dashed as they finished 14th in a field of 22. Our spirits were really high after district. Nothing seemed to fall togeth- er at the [championship] meet, fresh- man Paul Stoneham said. Sisson finished with his best time of the year, 31:28. He said, We had a great year, but our expectation going into the meet was higher after district. Although expectations were high, the team was not all that healthy going into the meet. Sophomore Alex Men- doza was running with tendonitis, and Stoneham had just overcome a virus. Even though the Longhorn men ended the season on a bitter note, the team overall had a successful year. With the emergence of Stoneham, the ac- quisition of Livingston and with the likes of veterans Sisson, Mendoza and sophomore Ernie Shepard, the Long- horn runners hoped to continue their pursuit of the elusive SWC title. Everybody was young, and we ex- pect to pick up where we finished off this year, in the top 15, Hughes said. Graduating senior Shaun Barnes was more enthusiastic about next year. They have a chance of winning the conference and having some All- Americans, he said. Whether or not the Men ' s Cross Country Team would capture the Southwest Conference title was yet to be seen, but one thing was certain; their future looked promising. Sang Yun JOINING HANDS: Crossing the finish line, jun- ior Noyes Livingston, sophomore Ernie Shepard and sophomore Steve Sisson take second through fourth at the Baylor Invitational. photo by Han- nes Hacker 148 Men ' s Cross Country

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Baylor Invitational 1st of 6 teams Naval Invitational 4th of 15 teams Stanford Invitational 3rd of 13 teams SWC Championship 1st of 9 teams NCAA District VI Meet 2nd of 1 1 teams NCA A Championship 19th of 22 teams Women ' s Cross Country 147

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Baylor Invitational 1st of 5 teams Naval Academy Invitational . . 2nd of 17 teams Texas Invitational 1st of 10 teams SWC Championships 2nd of 9 teams NCAA District VI Meet 1st of 11 teams NCAA Championship 14th of 22 teams PULLING AHEAD: Senior Shaun Barnes runs ahead of his competitors at the NCAA District VI meet. photo by Kirk Crippens. COLLAPSED: Sophomore Scott Lewis is aided by his teammate, junior Jonathan Cude, and a Baylor trainer at the Baylor Invitational. photo by Hannes Hacker Men ' s Cross Country 149